Release from 11.08.2017
While EC-KAC and Liwest Black Wings Linz opened their preseason with a win, Dornbirn Bulldogs suffered a tough defeat. In addition, HC Bolzano signed 25-year-old defender Luca Franza, who recently played for them two years ago.
For the first time since 2013 EC-KAC won their first preseason game. In Maribor, Slovenia they got off a perfect start against Banská Bystrica. Goals by Johannes Bischofberger, Patrick Harand and Manuel Ganahl gave them a 3:0 lead after only eight minutes. Early in the middle frame Marco Brucker added a fourth goal but then the Slovak champion got on the scoreboard with a powerplay marker. In the third period Jamie Lundmark, who was Klagenfurt's captain in this game, restored the three-goal lead. Despite Banská Bystrica scoring two more goals, the Carinthians celebrated a 5:3 victory.
Black Wings get comeback win
Liwest Black Wings Linz won their first preseason game, too. The game was a mere 23 seconds when Straubing got the lead, though. After 14 minutes the Black Wings tied the game on power play: a Corey Locke pass was deflected by a Straubing defender into the own net. The game was tied at one after the first with Linz doing some defensive mistakes in the middle frame and the Germans took advantage for a 3:1 lead. However, the team of new coach Troy Ward came back in the final period: First, Fabio Hofer pulled one back on pp, then Kevin Moderer tied it with a shorthanded marker. In the 58th minute Rick Schofield turned the game around for a 4:3 Linz win. It was their 7th victory in the 8th game against Straubing. Both teams will meet again on Sunday.
Bulldogs suffer heavy defeat
After beating SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in their last preseason opener 7:3, Dornbirn Bulldogs suffered a tough 8:1 defeat this time. The Swiss side hold the upper hand right from the beginning and had a 2:0 lead after eleven minutes. Simeon Schwinger made it a one-goal game but the hosts added a third before the first intermission. It did not become better for Dornbirn as they conceded two more goals against while being shorthanded in the second period. In the third the team of head coach Dave MacQueen took some penalties and had to pay the bill. In the end Rapperswil earned a clear-cut win.
Defender Luca Franza returns to Bolzano
25-year-old Luca Franza signed a contract with HC Bolzano where he started his career in younger days. After having few appearances for the senior team earlier, Franza played a whole 2015-16 season with the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga club. Last campaign he hit the ice for Serie B side Fiemme.
Preseason games:
11.08.2017: Banská Bystrica – EC-KAC 3:5 (0:3, 1:1, 2:1)
Goals Banská Bystrica: Valent (25./pp), Brittain (50./pp), Bellus (54./pp)
Goals KAC: Bischofberger (2.), Harand (5.), Ganahl (8.), Brucker (21.), Lundmark (48.)
11.08.2017: LIWEST Black Wings Linz – Straubing Tigers 4:3 (1:1, 0:2, 3:0)
Goals Linz: 1:1 Locke (14./PP), 2:3 Hofer (45./PP), 3:3 Moderer (53./SH), 4:3 Schofield (58.).
Goals Straubing: 0:1 Mitchell (1.), 1:2 Schönberger (33.), 1:3 Röthke (39.)
11.08.2017: Rapperswil Lakers – Dornbirn Bulldogs 8:1 (3:1, 2:0, 3:0)
Goals Rapperswil: 1:0 Vogel (8.), 2:0 Casutt (11.), 3:1 Knelsen (13.), 4:1 Casutt (33./pp1), 5:1 Lindemann (39./pp1), 6:1 Casutt (49./pp1), 7:1 Mosimann (51.), 8:1 Knelsen (53.)
Goal Dornbirn: 2:1 Schwinger (12.)
Line-up Dornbirn:
Quemener (33. Stroj); Connelly, Magnan; Leduc, McMonagle; Vallant, Caruso; Wolf - Neubauer, Arniel, D`Alvise; Fraser, Sylvester, Macierzynski; Grabher Meier, Häußle, Haberl Dominic; Haberl Lucas, Schwinger, Pöschmann.
Photo: EHC Liwest Black Wings Linz/Eisenbauer